Los Angeles Times Pressmens 20 Year Club: Dignity

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Dignity

Dignity is something you either understand or you don't. It means so much, yet few people ever understand the meaning of this word. Many claim to know it, others swear by it. A few even say they are examples of this word.
I feel, that dignity, in the American Company, is no longer existent. How can these people claim dignity, when these same people make a fat six figure income to the bottom of the totem pole and millions, upon millions of dollars, at the very top. All while doing it at the expense of peoples jobs, and not by growing our business, but do so, by exporting our jobs, selling us up into smaller pieces, allowing the value of the company to shrink to almost nothing, so on and so on. I get sickened just thinking about it. I can only hope, that the new breed of corporate bosses that are coming in have some dignity somewhere in their heart, for the sake of this company and the sake of Journalism. To see just how much talent we really have within our company. We are underutilized, and over exerted in many areas. What we need, is people we can trust to run a business, and not a meat market where people are just numbers. Please do not tell me that you are sorry to see the loss of jobs, when you still have your job and you make at least 5 times more than the avg worker in this company. I don't think those fake speeches can help heal what has happened over the last 6 years, and I also don't think that a "union" can help us at this point, but I do feel that unity within our company will take us all further. This is not about "me" but about us. The majority of us, have families, some type of financial obligations. We have dreams, and goals. But today many of us will have to put these goals and dreams on hold, until we know who will be losing a job. To all of us, that will be affected, my sympathy and my best wishes. To all the Pressmen that are "stuck", right now, good luck in whatever happens. I just wish you guy's would stand united and look deep inside to see just how talented and gifted many of you are, and use that talent to make some real change, company wide, not just in one department. Anyone with some dignity up to the challenge?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: Dignity? I don't know about Oly, but at OC -- in this insane shithole -- you surrender your dignity (and your balls) at the gate each time you come onto the property.

The ones who act as though they have dignity are the inept leaders, the uneducated managers, and other jerks who were socially promoted above us and who are rarely held accountable for their bad behavior or bad management. If it wasn't for the some of the despised operators and supervisors (and Russ Newton), the pressroom might not have gone union.

Personally, I'm happy to see that the pressmen voted to restore dignity to their workplace through unionization. I hope it provides them with an occasional opportunity to proudly hold up an extended middle finger to the self-important morons that have trampled all over their right to a safe, clean, and dignified work environment.; 11:59 PM
Kanani said...: Good post!

I think the golden parachutes that board of directors have been rewarding their short-lived CEO's for the past thirty years have been detrimental to American business. Why have we done this? I'm convinced that few CEO's and in fact, few board members, have ever run a successful small business of their own, that they come in from business school or law school, full of theory and they want big bucks.

And in the group of ne'er do wells may we toss in members of our Congress and Senate? The professional politicians who continuously give tax breaks to large corporations that do nothing to support small businesses?

Last year, in his annual letter to shareholders, Warren Buffett railed against this practice golden parachutes. You can find it here: BerkshireH athaway by downloading the 2005 annual report and reading his "annual letter to shareholders."; 12:39 AM
Edward Padgett said...: Big Bad Wolf,

The uncertainty of being employed or unemployed is not a pleasant one, with June 1st closing in rapidly upon Times workers and their families.

I wish you and your family the best in these trying times at the newspaper.; 12:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Anonymous # 1 is anyone holding a gun to your head as you enter the OC plant? If you had dignity you would quit wouldnt you?; 12:54 AM
Ronnie Pineda said...: That is the one thing that management will never be allowed to take from us without a fight, even though they don't treat us with any dignity, it is up to us to maintain our dignity not them.

No one has to surrender anything at the gate, especially your diginity,and not everyone does by the way. Pride and Dignity go hand in hand and that's what motivates people to stand up for themselves and their beliefs.

Everyone in the Pressroom has every reason to be proud of our union election victory because this is the first time in our careers that we will have an actual voice in the upcoming changes we may face. It is the ultimate sign of unity and we all need to understand that there are not 2 unions in our shops, one for those who voted for representation, and one for those who voted in favor of remaining "At Will" We are one!

We are ALL now represented by The GCC/IBT and we all have protections that we have not had in the past during times like these. Let's wait and see what their plan is exactly and then we will go from there.

We are still waiting for Washington's decision but that doesn't mean that we vulnerable, The Teamsters are closely monitoring the whole affair and will be ready to deal with any pressroom related issues.

With Dignity and Solidarity!; 12:57 AM
Anonymous said...: From "Anonymous #1":

Of course not, anyone with a gun on the Times property (as some of use know) will be subject to disipline; however, I'm under the financial gun. I came to Times for the money, and I have stayed for the money. It's the reason I suffer every unqualified, undereducated, unmotivated, undisiplined, and just plain stupid lacky and the god-awful condition of the facility.

I do my job to the best of my ability while counting the minutes until I can drive away. I have no love for the company.

And, I don't need one of Ronnie's pep-talks either. Let's cut the cheerleading and idealism and let's see positive and tangible results.; 1:33 AM
Anonymous said...: A Dignified Person would not allow A Person to reach into His or Her Wallet an steal from them, would He or Her ? but this has happend to all of us. The Fifth week of vacation was stolen from many, How about that stock opption,with no raise ?
I rember when we got cost of living raises that contor act the econmic times of the day.
But as of late We lose every Year to Pay CEOs the Millions after a mere few Years of service.
Enough is enough . the leaders told us to eat Cake, so We will serve it whith ther Heads.; 1:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Pineda your seniority # is what???
When they close OC we will see if your seniority will save you even with the union.

MR.OC; 11:11 AM
Ronnie Pineda said...: Mr. O.C.
I am so sorry that I bring out your hostility. I am curious, have you ever done anything for anyone else in which you risked everything you have simply because no one else would, and more so, because you knew it was the absolute right thing to do?

I think we already know the answer.

As I've said hundreds of times already, and to you in person, this is not, never has been, and never will be about me! It's alway's been about us! You don't know me, so I don't expect you to understand me.

You think a senority number means anything to this company. No! I've worked for The Los Angeles Times for almost thirty years and I still believe what we do is worth fighting for. When my time comes I will know that I didn't surrender anything at the gate, especially my dignity!

I know This Trade has provided us with all we have, and we have the pressman who came before us who voted for the union in the 60's to thank for that because it was their contract that was the foundation for everything we had up until Tribune began taking it away.

Try thinking about others sometime Mr.OC.; 12:58 AM
Anonymous said...: I do think of others Ronnie, that is one of my core values. Just because I am not in your flock of sheep doesnt mean I dont care about people.
Yes you dont know who I am but I do know who you are.........

I see you OUTSIDE in the smoking area all the time. Am I wrrong? All I need to do is post your photos of your many smoke breaks.

MR.OC; 7:49 AM